Patent US4170043A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4170043A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Coated intraocular lens and surgical tool
Assignee: American Hospital Supply Corp
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Filing: 1977-11-30
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Granted: 1979-10-09
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Expires: 1997-11-30
Abstract
Abstract An intraocular lens or surgical tool used for eye surgery which is covered with a biocompatible water-soluble adherent film coating that has a very slow dissolution rate which maintains at least 40% of the coating on the lens for at least 30 minutes, but not more than 24 hours, when submerged in an aqueous media simulating the surgical environment. Polyvinyl alcohol is an example of such coating that is dissolvable in water and provides swellable outer portions of the coating that are sluffable so as to be self-sacrificing in protecting against both static and sliding contact with a corneal endothelium.
Inventors
- 👤 Patricia M. Knight
- 👤 William J. Link
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 13:02
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/14; A61F2/16; A61F2/1662; A61F2/1613; A61F2/0077; A61F2002/0081
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 49
Claim 1
Independent Claim
78 words
An intraocular lens having a surface likely to contact a corneal endothelium during ophthalmic surgery, wherein the improvement comprises: a biocompatible water-soluble adherent film coating on such surface for protecting the corneal endothelium, said coating having a dissolution rate sufficiently slow so that at least 40% of the coating is maintained on the device for at least 30 minutes when submerged in an aqueous media at room temperature that has a volume simulating that of the aqueous humor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
78 words
An intraocular lens having a surface likely to contact a corneal endothelium during ophthalmic surgery, wherein the improvement comprises: a biocompatible water-soluble adherent film coating on such surface for protecting the corneal endothelium, said coating having a dissolution rate sufficiently slow so that at least 40% of the coating is maintained on the device for at least 30 minutes when submerged in an aqueous media at room temperature that has a volume simulating that of the aqueous humor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The lens as set forth in claim 1, wherein the aqueous media is approximately 0.2 ml of water.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
The lens as set forth in claim 2, wherein the coating is capable of maintaining such loss rate when the approximately 0.2 ml of water is changed every hour to simulate the continuous flow of aqueous humor in the eye.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The lens as set forth in claim 1, wherein the coating is dissolvable in the aqueous media and clearable from the eye.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The lens as set forth in claim 1, wherein the coating is in a dehydrated state prior to submersion, and the coating is water swellable in a time period that is less than required for completely dissolving.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
The lens device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the coating is in a swollen hydrated state and has outer portions of the coating that are sluffable during sliding and nonsliding contact with a corneal endothelium.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
61 words
The lens as set forth in claim 1, wherein the coating is in a swollen hydrated state and the coating is dissolvable to expose at least a portion of the surface area beneath the coating in a time period more than 30 minutes but less than 24 hours when submerged in an aqueous media at room temperature simulating an implanted lens.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
The lens as set forth in claim 1, wherein the coating is in a swollen hydrated state and is capable of maintaining said hydrated state without substantial dehydration for a period of at least 20 minutes when exposed to ambient air.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The lens as set forth in claim 1, wherein the coating is in a dehydrated state for storage and shipping.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The lens as set forth in claim 1, wherein the coating is a water swellable polymer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The lens as set forth in claim 10, wherein the coating is polyvinyl alcohol.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The lens as set forth in claim 1, wherein the coating includes a plurality of applied coating layers.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
The lens as set forth in claim 1, wherein the coating in its dehydrated state has a thickness of from 5 to 300 microns.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The lens as set forth in claim 1, wherein the coating in its hydrated state has a thickness of from 10 to 1000 microns.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
The lens as set forth in claim 1, wherein only a portion of the lens is coated.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
A intraocular lens comprising: an optical section; and a polyvinyl alcohol coating covering at least a portion of the optical section.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
A intraocular lens comprising: an optical section; and a polyvinyl alcohol coating covering at least a portion of the optical section.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
A lens as set forth in claim 16, wherein the polyvinyl alcohol is in a dehydrated state.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
38 words
A lens as set forth in claim 17, wherein the coating is rehydratable to provide outer portions of the coating that are sluffable to reduce damage to a corneal endothelium during sliding and nonsliding contact with such endothelium.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
14 words
A lens as set forth in claim 16, wherein the optical section is polymethylmethacrylate.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
25 words
A lens as set forth in claim 17, wherein the precoated intraocular lens with its dehydrated coating are sterile and within a sterility maintaining package.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
94 words
An intraocular lens having a surface likely to contact a corneal endothelium during ophthalmic surgery, wherein the improvement comprises: a biocompatible water-soluble adherent film coating on such surface for protecting a corneal endothelium, said coating having a dissolution rate sufficiently slow so that at least 40% of the coating is maintained on the device for at least 30 minutes when submerged in an aqueous media at room temperature that has a volume simulating that of the aqueous humor, said coating having portions that are sluffable during sliding and nonsliding contact with a corneal endothelium.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
94 words
An intraocular lens having a surface likely to contact a corneal endothelium during ophthalmic surgery, wherein the improvement comprises: a biocompatible water-soluble adherent film coating on such surface for protecting a corneal endothelium, said coating having a dissolution rate sufficiently slow so that at least 40% of the coating is maintained on the device for at least 30 minutes when submerged in an aqueous media at room temperature that has a volume simulating that of the aqueous humor, said coating having portions that are sluffable during sliding and nonsliding contact with a corneal endothelium.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
71 words
A surgical tool having a surface likely to contact a corneal endothelium during ophthalmic surgery wherein the improvement comprises: a biocompatible water-soluble adherent film coating on such surface having a dissolution rate sufficiently slow so that at least 40% of the coating is maintained on the device for at least 30 minutes when submerged in an aqueous media at room temperature that has a volume simulating that of the aqueous humor.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
71 words
A surgical tool having a surface likely to contact a corneal endothelium during ophthalmic surgery wherein the improvement comprises: a biocompatible water-soluble adherent film coating on such surface having a dissolution rate sufficiently slow so that at least 40% of the coating is maintained on the device for at least 30 minutes when submerged in an aqueous media at room temperature that has a volume simulating that of the aqueous humor.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
18 words
The tool as set forth in claim 22, wherein the aqueous media is approximately 0.2 ml of water.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
40 words
The tool as set forth in claim 23, wherein the coating is capable of maintaining such loss rate when the approximately 0.2 ml of water is changed every hour to simulate time continuous flow of aqueous humor in the eye.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
22 words
The tool as set forth in claim 22, wherein the coating is dissolvable in the aqueous media and clearable from the eye.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
37 words
The tool as set forth in claim 22, wherein the coating is in a dehydrated state prior to submersion, and the coating is water swellable in a time period that is less than required for completely dissolving.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
36 words
The tool as set forth in claim 22, wherein the coating is in a swollen hydrated state and has outer portions of the coating that are sluffable during sliding and nonsliding contact with a corneal endothelium.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
62 words
The tool as set forth in claim 22, wherein the coating is in a swollen hydrated state and the coating is dissolvable to expose at least a portion of the surface area beneath the coating in a time period more than 30 minutes but less than 24 hours when submerged in an aqueous media at room temperature simulating conditions of an eye.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
41 words
The tool as set forth in claim 22, wherein the coating is in a swollen hydrated state and is capable of maintaining said hydrated state without substantial dehydration for a period of at least 20 minutes when exposed to ambient air.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
20 words
The tool as set forth in claim 22, wherein the coating is in a dehydrated state for storage and shipping.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
16 words
The tool as set forth in claim 22, wherein the coating is a water swellable polymer.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
14 words
The tool as set forth in claim 31, wherein the coating is polyvinyl alcohol.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
18 words
The tool as set forth in claim 22, wherein the coating includes a plurality of applied coating layers.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
24 words
The tool as set forth in claim 22, wherein the coating in its dehydrated state has a thickness of from 5 to 300 microns.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
23 words
The tool set forth in claim 22, wherein the coating in its hydrated state has a thickness of from 10 to 1000 microns.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
17 words
The tool as set forth in claim 22, wherein only a portion of the tool is coated.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
30 words
A surgical tool comprising: a section adapted to be inserted into an eye adjacent a corneal endothelium; and a polyvinyl alcohol coating covering at least a portion of this section.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
30 words
A surgical tool comprising: a section adapted to be inserted into an eye adjacent a corneal endothelium; and a polyvinyl alcohol coating covering at least a portion of this section.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
17 words
The tool as set forth in claim 37, wherein the polyvinyl alcohol is in a dehydrated state.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
40 words
The tool as set forth in claim 38, wherein the polyvinyl alcohol coating is rehydratable to provide outer portions of the coating that are sluffable to reduce damage to a corneal endothelium during sliding and nonsliding contact with such endothelium.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
34 words
The tool as set forth in claim 37 wherein the tool is precoated with the polyvinyl alcohol coating being a dehydrated state, and the coated tool is sterile and within a sterility maintaining package.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
94 words
A surgical tool having a surface likely to contact a corneal endothelium during opthalmic surgery, wherein the improvement comprises: a biocompatible water-soluble adherent film coating on such surface for protecting a corneal endothelium, said coating having a dissolution rate sufficiently slow so that at least 40% of the coating is maintained on the device for at least 30 minutes when submerged in an aqueous media at room temperature that has a volume simulating that of the aqueous humor, said coating having portions that are sluffable during sliding and nonsliding contact with a corneal endothelium.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
94 words
A surgical tool having a surface likely to contact a corneal endothelium during opthalmic surgery, wherein the improvement comprises: a biocompatible water-soluble adherent film coating on such surface for protecting a corneal endothelium, said coating having a dissolution rate sufficiently slow so that at least 40% of the coating is maintained on the device for at least 30 minutes when submerged in an aqueous media at room temperature that has a volume simulating that of the aqueous humor, said coating having portions that are sluffable during sliding and nonsliding contact with a corneal endothelium.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
22 words
A precoated opthalmic surgery tool comprising: a tip section; and a polyvinyl alcohol coating covering at least a portion of the tip.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
22 words
A precoated opthalmic surgery tool comprising: a tip section; and a polyvinyl alcohol coating covering at least a portion of the tip.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1982-10-08 | 1983-04-09 | 1983-10-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1986-10-08 | 1987-04-09 | 1987-10-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1990-10-08 | 1991-04-09 | 1991-10-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |